EXCLUSIVE: Dascha Polanco Talks About Her Role on Netflix’s ‘Orange is the New Black’

It’s official: Orange is the New Blackis a hit. The Netflix original series, from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan, centers on a women’s prison, where engaged Brooklynite Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling) finds herself after a brief, early 20s stint (and lesbian relationship) with a drug-runner. The dark comedy features a colorful cast of characters, including Dascha Polanco who plays Dayanara Diaz, known as “Daya.”

Daya is an inmate with mother issues – which is exacerbated by the fact that she’s sent to the same prison where her mother is currently serving time. We caught up with the actress to talk about the new series, her transition from nurse to actress, and representing full-figure Latinas on screen.

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